I am a blood type A and am desparate for some suggestions. When I try to follow the anti-candida diet, I have a lot more fatigue because I really seem to need the fruit. And I'm tired of living only on veggies and whole grain cereals, much as I like them. I need a bit more variety than that. Can you offer any advice? CHRIS

Getting rid of candida can be a nightmare, and I sympathize with your plight!

Paradoxically, the very drugs commonly prescribed for candidiasis often cause and further the condition. What you need is a rebalanced colony of beneficial intestinal micro-organisms -- and the antifungals and antibiotics can only quash the symptoms temporarily, while setting you up for new infections.

What will help is an approach based upon a personalized diet including some herbal and supplement support; and using yoga and skilled meditation practices to reduce stress and bolster your immune system response.

Find out whether you are a secretor or nonsecretor, and follow the diet outlined for you in Live Right 4 Your Type. You may need more protein and less grain than you eat currently.

Use your type-specific probiotic at night, and feed those good critters with a tablespoon of Larch arabinogalactan twice per day. Try 250 mg. of Betaine HCL or 5 drops of Gentian in warm water before meals, as a "stomachic," and two 350 mg caprylic acid capsules taken twice daily away from food to gently eradicate the candida organisms.

There is a detailed discussion of candidiasis with treatment protocols in the BTD Complete Blood Type Encyclopedia which could prove invaluable to you.

The one thing we can be sure of is that you will feel worse before you feel better! This is largely due to the intestinal population changing drastically as die-off and new growth occur. Don't Get Discouraged! Use your yoga and meditation practices to maintain energy and calm, and know that taking this route will mean you can finally beat this problem. You won't have to live on grain and vegetables, or take antifungals and other deleterious drugs.

I have been "on the diet" for almost three years and have had much success with it. After only 6 weeks on the diet GERD disappeared and so did many other ailments. Recently, however, GERD seems to be rearing its ugly head again. It is not as bad as it was and happens infrequently but, nevertheless, it happens. I have not re-introduced any "avoids" into my diet - in fact I have weaned myself away from white wine now and only drink the occasional glass of red. Would you have any suggestions as to what could be the reason for GERD to reappear? I hate the thought of having to go back on medication. Thanks - Sue

GERD (Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease) is a condition in which acidic stomach contents flowing up the esophagus from the stomach, usually resulting in the burning sensations of "heartburn." The effects on the esophagus can be very harsh, setting the stage for the development of even more serious health problems.

I. An ancient Chinese medicine treatment is often effective against GERD:

Use a juicer to extract a couple of teaspoons of juice from fresh ginger root. The quantity of root will vary -- just use enough to get that much, which is enough for one day.

Take 1/2 teaspoon on an empty stomach, in the morning and 1/2 hour before lunch and dinner. It is very potent stuff, and burns a bit going down. Don't worry, you'll probably even get to like the sensation in time! and it won't do you any harm.

After a week or so, up the dosage until you're taking a full teaspoon at a time. While it does not address the cause (most likely a combination of stored stresses and inappropriate diet) this simple home treatment alone has chased GERD away for good in many people. You don't have to make the juice every day, so once you've tried it for a day or two, you can juice up a few cups of it to store, covered in the fridge, for a month. It keeps just fine that way.

II. Do you have hiatus hernia? I did -- and my chiropractor was able to alleviate it by actually reaching in under my diaphragm and pulling the stomach down. This technique, too, does not address the causes of HH (large meals, lifelong stresses, poor and irritating grain-heavy diet), but it can remove the effects temporarily while your diet and stress-relief practices do the rest. HH is often present in people with GERD.

In brief, I'd suggest you start the ginger juice, discuss with your chiropractor the technique I mentioned above if HH is involved, and begin following a powerful stress-reduction practice of your choice.

I'm trying to find recipe's for Essene Bread and Ezekial Bread. Where could I find these?? Thanks -- Lyn

In hopes that you're a practiced bread baker, Lyn, I'll offer here the basic procedures for making these breads. Neither is as specific as we'd like, but that's the nature of this beast. The vagaries of grain and climate will affect the final product... you'll have to feel your way along as you go.

The first, for Essene bread, was kindly posted on the old message boards in 1997. The second is my interpretation and compilation of directions for making Ezekiel bread which I've gleaned from commercial bakers, home cooks, websites, and intuition. I look forward to your comments and results!

Essene Bread

Posted by Brian on November 22, 1997 at 11:30:09:

In the past, some ER4YT "newbies" have questioned what Essene Bread is or where to buy it. Perhaps it not not available in all areas. In any event, here is our offering for making this special treat at home:

1. Sprout 2 cups of wheat until the sprouts are only 1/2 inch or shorter. If they grow longer than that, the final loaf will be too "green". It usually takes 24 to 48 hours for the sprouts to reach 1/2 inch in length.

2. Grind the sprouted wheat. We use an old fashioned hand-cranked meat grinder. You will end up with a rubbery glob.

3. Form into an oval shaped loaf and bake in a shallow dish at 250 to 275 degrees (F) for about 1.5 to 2 hours, until browned.

4. Cool, keep refrigerated, and slice with a wet, serrated knife. The finished bread has a pleasantly sweet flavor. Some like to top a slice with cheese and make a real meal of it.

Note: You can add whatever extra ingredients are appropriate for the blood types in your household (chopped dates, raisins, salt, honey, grated carrots, whatever). You can also substitute rye grain for wheat, if you prefer. Be creative. Hope this helps. Make it at home and save lots of money (most health food stores sell Essene Bread for a healthy sum). Manna Bread is a heavy sweet bread, and adding the extra ingredients would give you something similar.

Ezekiel 4:9 Bread

"Take thou also unto thee wheat and barley, and beans, and lentiles, and millet, and fitches [spelt] and put them in one vessel, and make thee bread thereof." Ezekiel 4:9

The Ezekiel bread noted in the blood type diet books, like the Essene bread, is made from 100% sprouted grain. Unlike the Essene (or "manna") recipe, however, the sprouted grains (and beans) used in Ezekiel bread must be dried before grinding them into flour. This is a pretty tricky process, and you'll probably need a dehydrator with a fan in order to accomplish it without mold setting in on the sprouts.

Put 1/2 cup each of the wheat, barley, beans (pick a bean from your OK list), lentils, millet and spelt in separate sprouting containers -- large jars with screened tops. When each item shows a tiny sprout (1/16-1/8" in length), place that batch on one of the dehydrator screens and start drying. They're done when you can crush them and find no lingering moisture; the time involved will vary between ingredients and between batches. :->

Use a flour mill to grind the mixed sprouts. Now you're ready to begin the bread recipe (or ready to strangle me, or both. :-) Is that store-bought Ezekiel looking more attractive by the moment? :-D) Additionally, you may have to experiment with leavening ingredients, as sprouted grain loses much of the gluten that allows the bread to develop elasticity and body.

Here is a good one from the Mormon recipe site:

1.) Measure the following into a large bowl:

4 cups lukewarm water

1 cup honey

1/4 cup oil

2 Tablespoons yeast

Set aside for 3-5 minutes to allow yeast to grow.

2.) Add to yeast mixture:

2 teaspoons salt

Fresh milled flour (about 9 cups) from above mixture of grains

3.) Stir or knead until well kneaded. This is a batter type bread and will not form into a smooth ball.